By Kayla Mendez
The Museum of the City of New York and the Shirley Chisholm Project at Brooklyn College have partnered to create a museum exhibit commemorating the centennial of the birth of Shirley Chisholm. It contains artifacts, newspaper clippings, photographs, art, and videos that show Chisholm as an important historical figure who had many notable achievements in her political career.
Chisholm was the first Black congresswoman in 1969, and involved herself in many different areas of politics that helped give a voice to people of color. She was born on November 30, 1924, in Brooklyn, New York, and died on January 1, 2005. A daughter of immigrants, she grew up in Barbados, until she moved back to New York, graduating from Brooklyn College.
Most of these books depict who Shirley Chisholm was as a person, explaining how she changed societies for the better, even if her work remains unfinished, and inspired people to protest against unfair laws.
Chisholm worked actively for change, speaking out for issues that she believed were significant and needed to be focused on such as education, childcare, racial and gender equality, and rights for migrants and workers.
Chisholm announced her candidacy for the presidential nomination on January 25, 1972. She became the first African American woman to campaign for the Democratic Party with the slogan “Unbought and Unbossed.”
These flyers aimed to persuade voters to vote for Chisholm.
Even though Chisholm did not end up winning, her campaign ended up inspiring a multitude of diverse groups of people. She also continued to serve on Congress for another 11 years.
Chisholm was one of a few Black women officials who publicly supported abortion rights in New York State, framing abortion as a medical issue.
She supported other Black candidates in their run for presidency, such as Jesse Jackson who was the second African American to run in 1984, with Chisholm as a campaign consultant.
This outfit was remade for a film named “Shirley” released in March 2024, modeled after what Chisholm wore when she announced her run for president.
This map shows a variety of photographs that showcase Chisholm’s life in New York, displaying schools she attended, places she worked, and apartments she lived in.
The exhibit opened July 2024, and is open for visitors all the way through July 2025.
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